About this Research Topic
Systemic and endemic mycoses are caused by dimorphic fungi belonging to species of the genus Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides, Coccidioides, Blastomyces, Talaromyces and Emergomyces. These mycoses are life-threatening diseases, especially in patients with a compromised immune system that include those infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or those receiving antineoplastic agents, immunosuppressive agents used in solid organ receptors, immunomodulatory therapies and other biological products. The mortality and morbidity caused by these mycoses have increased rapidly during the last decades, especially in countries where infections, by these fungi, are endemic. The distributions of these infections are well defined in geographical areas, for example, paracoccidioidomycosis is restricted to certain countries in Latin America, coccidioidomycosis to countries in North and South America, blastomycosis to North America, talaromycosis to certain Asian countries, emergomycosis to South Africa and some countries in Europe, Asia and North America; while histoplasmosis is widely distributed worldwide.
The pathogenesis describes the origin and course of a disease and all the factors involved in both the host and the causative agent, this includes the attributes of susceptibility and resistance of the host as the virulence factors of the microorganism. In these mycoses, host susceptibility factors are well known, as are some of the virulence factors of these causative dimorphic fungi; however, new virulence factors and new cellular interactions and functions have been described becoming increasingly important.
In this Research Topic, we invite Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives and Brief Research Reports and also studies of a clinical nature focused on the pathogenesis of infections caused by dimorphic fungi. The theme addressed by this Research Topic will include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Host-pathogen interactions
• Virulence factors of fungal agents
• Risk factors in the host
• Immune response
• Experimentation in animal models and cell cultures.
The pathogenesis describes the origin and course of a disease and all the factors involved in both the host and the causative agent, this includes the attributes of susceptibility and resistance of the host as the virulence factors of the microorganism. In these mycoses, host susceptibility factors are well known, as are some of the virulence factors of these causative dimorphic fungi; however, new virulence factors and new cellular interactions and functions have been described becoming increasingly important.
In this Research Topic, we invite Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives and Brief Research Reports and also studies of a clinical nature focused on the pathogenesis of infections caused by dimorphic fungi. The theme addressed by this Research Topic will include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Host-pathogen interactions
• Virulence factors of fungal agents
• Risk factors in the host
• Immune response
• Experimentation in animal models and cell cultures.
Keywords: Fungal Pathogenesis, Dimorphic Fungi, Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides, Coccidioides, Blastomyces, Talaromyces, Emergomyces
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
